Birthdays: 27 & 28

October 2011:  Dadda's Birthday (27)

Bud scored big time with his best friend/brother this year when he was invited to the Penguins game on his birthday eve.  Grey and I accompanied him to the recently married Koch's new house for a sleepover.  While the boys were out enjoying some hockey and then out for snacks and drinks - Booboo, Ninna, and I enjoyed a relaxing evening eating dinner, dessert, and staying up for a whole 20 minutes of a movie.  (sorry, I'm an old lady, hah).

Brandon and I were both off the next day, his birthday, and after B was done hanging out in a treestand, we lounged around finishing the movie and then headed to the pumpkin patch on the way home.  We were lucky to have Ninna join us too (while Uncle Jonny was working hard).  It was a chilly and kind of rainy day, but we still had fun picking out pumpkins and even watching some piglets!

Booboo tells Ninna, "Bumpkin"

he's really maturing now at 27 as you can see.

Later when we got home, after some delicious take-out from our favorite local deli, Thomahawks, we sang to Dadda and blew out his candles (about 20 times thanks to Grey).  Booboo was even able to join in the singing since we had been practicing the Happy Birthday song thanks to one of his new favorite books:  "Little Gorilla" by Ruth Bornstein

Booboo sings, "Happy to...Dadda"
Dadda also received some clothes FOR Grey and Gemma that suit his interests (they were all camo) and a promise from mumma that he has permission to buy whatever truck snow plow he needs/wants (since I'm not really qualified to pick out truck snow plows).

August 2011:  Mumma's birthday (28)

I scored big this year as my hubby spent three hours learning about cameras before picking out a brand new Nikon D3100 for me (as a replacement for my last camera that suffered water death this summer).  With a new baby on the way, a new house, and Grey's hair getting wilder by the day - there wasn't a better gift out there.  And, this was a gift not only for me - but for you, my dear readers, as well.  Since instead of reading posts that include pictures like this:

you now get pictures like this:

And now, since I'm down to only 2 short years before 20+10 birthday, how about a quick check in on my "Before 30" List of goals

Become a mother - double and a half check!

Grow a garden - hopefully will accomplish next summer, with a little guidance from these pinsiprations:

organized, raised beds. love.

Source: lovemyearth.blogspot.com via Tabitha on Pinterest

a toddler garden!

Source: theimaginationtree.com via Tabitha on Pinterest

Grow mermaid hair - working on it.  hating tangles.  really excited about going pixie after reaching this goal

and this, my friends, is why I don't post 'myspace' style pics of myself...they ain't cute.

Learn to drive stick - brandon's parents have a manual...so Bud needs to get on that...winter + ice might not be the best time to learn...maybe needs to wait until spring.

Go topless on the beach - thought i would be able to do this in Thailand but then couldn't because the country is Buddhist and Muslim...neither of which really appreciates topless foreigners.

Visit Thailand - done.  loved it. obsessed.

Have a signature dish - oh bother.

Become fluent in Spanish again - not that Grey is moving into English speaking, we're going to start practicing some Spanish around this place.  plus another DR trip is in the works for October2012.  I need to try harder

Learn to golf - ugh.  not even close.

Become certified in CPR - check!  Brandon and I both took a certification class before Greyson was born.